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Fishing St. Mary Lake: what the data says
440-acre lake near British Columbia. The lake tops out around 56 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Cutthroat Trout fishing at St. Mary Lake
Start shallow in spring: cutthroat trout sit in 3 to 15 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 35 ft, and winter fish settle into 10 to 40 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 25 ft, rated prime for summer cutthroat trout. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a trolled spoon (small) or a inline spinner gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | dawn | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
Smallmouth Bass fishing at St. Mary Lake
In spring, smallmouth bass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 45 ft. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 14 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Rainbow Trout fishing at St. Mary Lake
Spring rainbow trout on St. Mary Lake hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. They move out to 8 to 30 ft in summer and finish the year down in 8 to 40 ft. Break off the point is the standout, a drop-off at roughly 25 ft, rated prime for winter rainbow trout. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a dodger + spoon (deep troll) or a flutter spoon and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Inline spinner (silver), Small spoon |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + spoon (deep troll), Flutter spoon |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Jerkbait over shoals |
| Winter | 8 to 40 ft | dawn | Jigging spoon, Tube jig (white) |
Notable structure
- Deep basin: deep basin, around 48 ft
- Break off the point: drop-off, around 25 ft
- Main-lake point: point, around 14 ft
- Secondary point: point, around 14 ft
- Shallow bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
- Back-bay flat: weed flat, around 6 ft
Common questions
How deep is St. Mary Lake?
St. Mary Lake is about 56 ft (17 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
What fish are in St. Mary Lake?
Anglers target smallmouth bass, rainbow trout, cutthroat trout on St. Mary Lake.
Where is the best fishing spot on St. Mary Lake?
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 25 ft of water that rates prime for cutthroat trout in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish St. Mary Lake?
For cutthroat trout, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Nearby waters
Bullocks Lake · Roberts Lake · Lake Maxwell · Blackburn Lake · Cusheon Lake · Ford Lake
See how St. Mary Lake stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in British Columbia · best rainbow trout lakes in British Columbia · best cutthroat trout lakes in British Columbia
Browse all British Columbia fishing maps or every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.